AVRIL KING
Social Media Manager
Team Roswell gained a few more players this past weekend.
For the third year in a row, Fredonia took part in a Cancer Awareness Weekend. The profits made from admission tickets to men’s and women’s soccer games, as well as the proceeds from a silent auction and raffle, were donated to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute located in Buffalo.
The fundraising event also coincided with the Blue Devil classic, which takes place each year. Therefore, on Sept. 8 and Sept. 9, the men’s and women’s teams competed against six other colleges’ teams. The women played Penn State Behrend, D’Youville and Oswego, while the men took on Houghton, Alfred State and Buffalo State.
The competition was fierce due to the number of SUNY rivals playing in the tournament. Even though the players were focused on winning their games, they realized that this event meant so much more.
“This event is important to me because we often don’t have opportunities to create change in the world,” said junior Abby Price. “Being able to play the sport I love and at the same time, be a part of this charitable event is something very special.”
For Ty Bentham, the men’s soccer goalie, this event resonated on a personal level.
“I have experienced cancer in my family, so these games are very important to me. The more people that attend, the more opportunity there is to raise money,” he said.
Monetarily, Cancer Awareness Weekend has been extremely successful in the past. In 2015 and 2016, the games and raffle raised $6,539, which includes an annual donation of $1,500 from Lake Shore Savings & Loan.
But the most important thing, argued Price, is to inform individuals of ways to help others in need.
“I want people to become aware. Sweet and simple,” she said. “The more people that are aware of foundations like this and other ways to help, the more people can be affected positively. Even if people don’t donate, spreading knowledge is a huge way to influence for the better.”
In the end, most of the games played were won by the Blue Devils; however, some of the fans in the bleachers found themselves to be winners as well.
According to an article on the Fredonia website, prizes for the raffle included “a recliner chair donated by Pucci’s Carpet One Furniture & Bedding, a 40-inch high-definition television donated by Wal-Mart, tickets to a Cleveland Indians’ game donated by a friend of the women’s soccer program and Buffalo Bills autographed memorabilia donated by the team.”
Bentham put it best when he said, “In the end, my goal is for all teams to have a good time and be able to help out a great cause.”
The members of the soccer teams played hard over the weekend, both for Fredonia and Team Roswell. It would be safe to say that Bentham’s, as well as his teammates’, goals were met.